STD'S
Your Health Matters

• There are many types of HPV.

• In most cases (9 out of 10), HPV goes away on its own within two years with no health problems.

• The immunocompromised (including HIV) may be less able to fight off HPV and can develop more health problems. 

• Pregnant women: can get genital warts or develop abnormal cell changes on their cervix. 

There are several ways to lower your chances of getting HPV.

• Get vaccinated​

• Get screened for cervical cancer- in women aged 21-65 years old.

• Use condoms the right way, but HPV can infect areas the condom does not cover. 

• Only have sex with someone who's not infected and only has sex with you.

When HPV does not go away, it can cause genital warts or cancer.

• Genital warts: appear as a small bump or group of bumps in the genital area. The bumps can be small or large, raised or flat, or cauliflower-shaped.

• Cancers: Can either be cervical, valvular, vaginal, oropharyngeal, or anal. 

  • Can take years, even decades, to develop after being diagnosed with HPV. ​

• There is no approved HPV test to detect it in the mouth or throat. 

• Pap Smears: a test that can screen for cervical cancer that should be done yearly even if you are pregnant.

• If genital warts appear.